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Abstract Objective: Identifying factors that may influence aflatoxin exposure in children under 5 years of age living in farming households in western Kenya. Design: We used a mixed methods design. The quantitative component entailed serial cross-sectional interviews in 250 farming households to examine crop processing and conservation practices, household food storage and consumption and local understandings of aflatoxins. Qualitative data collection included focus group discussions (N 7) and key informant interviews (N 13) to explore explanations of harvesting and post-harvesting techniques and perceptions of crop spoilage. Setting: The study was carried out in Asembo, a rural community where high rates of child stunting exist. Participants: A total of 250 female primary caregivers of children under 5 years of age and thirteen experts in farming and food management participated. Results: Study results showed that from a young age, children routinely ate maize-based dishes. Economic constraints and changing environmental patterns guided the application of sub-optimal crop practices involving early harvest, poor drying, mixing spoiled with good cereals and storing cereals in polypropylene bags in confined quarters occupied by humans and livestock and raising risks of aflatoxin contamination. Most (80 %) smallholder farmers were unaware of aflatoxins and their harmful economic and health consequences. Conclusions: Young children living in subsistence farming households may be at risk of exposure to aflatoxins and consequent ill health and stunting. Sustained efforts to increase awareness of the risks of aflatoxins and control measures among subsistence farmers could help to mitigate practices that raise exposure.

Copyright of Moambe-Bulletin of Akaki Tsereteli State University is the property of Akaki Tsereteli State University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Identifying factors that may influence aflatoxin exposure in children under 5 years of age living in farming households in western Kenya. Design: We used a mixed methods design. The quantitative component entailed serial cross-sectional interviews in 250 farming households to examine crop processing and conservation practices, household food storage and consumption and local understandings of aflatoxins. Qualitative data collection included focus group discussions (N 7) and key informant interviews (N 13) to explore explanations of harvesting and post-harvesting techniques and perceptions of crop spoilage. Setting: The study was carried out in Asembo, a rural community where high rates of child stunting exist. Participants: A total of 250 female primary caregivers of children under 5 years of age and thirteen experts in farming and food management participated. Results: Study results showed that from a young age, children routinely ate maize-based dishes. Economic constraints and changing environmental patterns guided the application of sub-optimal crop practices involving early harvest, poor drying, mixing spoiled with good cereals and storing cereals in polypropylene bags in confined quarters occupied by humans and livestock and raising risks of aflatoxin contamination. Most (80 %) smallholder farmers were unaware of aflatoxins and their harmful economic and health consequences. Conclusions: Young children living in subsistence farming households may be at risk of exposure to aflatoxins and consequent ill health and stunting. Sustained efforts to increase awareness of the risks of aflatoxins and control measures among subsistence farmers could help to mitigate practices that raise exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is aimed to reveal the quantitative adequacy of the lighting in urban park areas and the effects of the users on the usage situations of the spaces. In this direction, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used and analyzes were made by developing a different perspective in the study. In the study, in which fieldwork, measurements and observation technique were used together, Meydan Park and Atapark, which are two parks on the same transportation axis, were selected as the study areas and a pilot study was conducted in Trabzon. Of these two parks, Meydan Park is illuminated using the latest lighting types and techniques suitable for today's technology, while Atapark has older types and techniques. As a result, it was seen that these modern and classical lighting differences did not have the expected positive effect on modern techniques. In addition, when lighting techniques are evaluated based on the literature in terms of different spatial components and elements of parks, it has been concluded that the feasibility of different activities is related to lighting. With the observations made at different times, the changing user densities and the continuity of activity day and night were examined. The results showed that the day-night activity continuity changed in parallel with the lighting situation for both parks and the lighting types and techniques were not compatible with the current uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the role of social capital and leadership in improving the adaptive capacity of Iranian pistachio farmers by using Social Network Analysis (SNA). The results indicate that the studied network is not a dense network, and there are few reciprocal and face-to-face relations among farmers. The findings also illustrate that in all cooperative links, there were no noticeable bridging links among the farmers and their tendency toward bonding links, indicating less bridging social capital at the three studied villages. The nature of relationships in social networks will improve if the quality of communication between individuals in a network and actors from other networks and villages is enhanced. This can increase the productivity of social networks and lead to higher quality resources, better support, development of useful information between networks and improvement in farmers' adaptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology-mediated learning has become a valuable tool, especially in the English language classroom. Nowadays, mobile learning is considered a significant educational tool for promoting education among learners. Several recent studies have attempted to examine different aspects of mobile learning. The size of the experimental group, and the duration and suitability of the assessment methods are important aspects in designing experimental studies in the context of mobile English language learning. Yet, very few studies have paid attention to these aspects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the utilisation of state-of-the-art mobile technology in English language learning, especially in terms of the size of the experimental groups, and the duration and suitability of the assessment methods. Following a systematic review protocol, 151 articles published between 2010 and 2017 were selected for analysis. Furthermore, this study considered, separately, three factors addressed in the reviewed studies: language acquisition problems, types of participants, and targeted English skills. The findings showed that the group size and study duration significantly differed among the studies based on the above factors. Questionnaires and tests were found to be the most common methods of assessment for each factor, whether used separately or in combination. The results of this review can assist in the formulation of experimental designs to mitigate the challenges and facilitate the effective use of mobile learning in English language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To implement and evaluate an Advanced Practice Nurse-led transitional care model (AdvantAGE) to reduce rehospitalisation rates in frail older adults discharged from a Swiss geriatric hospital., Design: The study adopts an effectiveness-implementation hybrid design (Type 1) to simultaneously evaluate the effectiveness of the care model and explore the implementation process., Methods: The primary outcome, the 90-day rehospitalisation rate, will be evaluated using a matched-cohort design with a prospective intervention group and a retrospective control group. Secondary outcomes include the number of emergency department visits, health-related quality of life and intervention costs. The care model was developed through comprehensive contextual analysis and pilot testing in an iterative approach. It comprises five core elements: continuous support, care coordination, comprehensive health management at home, medication and self-management and advance care planning. Data collection includes both quantitative and qualitative methods, utilising routine hospital data, structured and semi-structured interviews and observations. Qualitative data will provide insights into implementation outcomes, potential barriers and facilitators. Additionally, a process evaluation will offer an in-depth understanding of individual intervention effects and reasons for rehospitalisation., Discussion: The AdvantAGE project, grounded in implementation science methodology, aims to significantly improve transitional care outcomes for frail older adults. The results are expected to provide essential recommendations for scaling up the model to other settings., Impact: The study addresses the issue of frequent rehospitalisations in older adults, which carry risks of functional and cognitive decline. By implementing a comprehensive transitional care model, the study aims to improve continuity of care, reduce readmissions and enable frail older adults to remain in the community longer. The project highlights the importance of contextually adapted intervention and implementation strategies to bridge the gap between research and real-world healthcare practice., Patient or Public Involvement: The project employs a participatory approach, engaging representatives from the hospital and primary care settings, the cantonal health department and older people and their caregivers., Trial Registration: This study has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov on 5 January 2024 (Identifier: NCT06190288)., (© 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Speaking about crises and their forecasting is always a thankless task. On the one hand, the researcher will receive a lot of criticism from experts in crisis management, economists and analysts. On the other hand, it will find itself in the crossfire of colleagues from related sciences for appropriating and simplifying theories of social and political crises. The processes of digitalization and the emergence of media didactics have led to qualitative changes in the creation and distribution of textbooks, made school knowledge a favorable environment for the formation of future crises associated with contradictions in the interpretation of historical events, the role and place of the individual in history, the construction of conflicting visual images of countries and peoples. In this regard, studies of the monitoring and prognostic function of textbooks as sources of predicting conflicts acquire a new meaning.

A culture medium contains basic elements (water, nutrients), to which are added various supplements capable of contributing to the growth of the bacteria of interest, and at the same time, inhibiting the association flora. This study aimed for testing and optimization of special supplemented culture media used for diagnosis of microbial origin foodborne pathogens. For this, performance criteria (productivity, selectivity, and specificity) of ten different culture media used for the identification and characterization of most common bacteria (i.e., Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) involved in food poisoning, were investigated. For the evaluation of the performance parameters, artificial contamination was performed with Reference Materials (MR) represented by reference strains, on two levels of contamination (low and high) and blank samples. On the qualitative methods (detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.), selectivity, specificity, accuracy, concordance and evaluation of the detection limit at 50% (LOD50) were tested; while, on the quantitative methods (enumeration of E. coli and S. aureus), repeatability, reproducibility, critical difference and measurement uncertainty were assessed. For the qualitative methods (detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.), the evaluated parameters showed values between 82-100% and 0.429-0.564 cfu/25 g for LOD50, respectively. For the quantitative methods (enumeration of E. coli and S. aureus), the values obtained had a measurement uncertainty between 0.24-0.26 log10 cfu/g). The performance criteria (productivity, selectivity and specificity) of the culture media investigated were successfully achieved. These findings on the benefits of the addition of supplements for the culture media used to diagnose food poisoning provide further evidence of the importance of additional components with the role of enrichment, stimulation, inhibition, selection and highlighting of metabolic and enzymatic equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructed a robust methodology to investigate the impact of news regarding macroeconomic policies on exchange rate fluctuations, and to examined the applicability of qualitative information alongside historical data to predict exchange rates. To do so, hybrid machine learning algorithms comprised of natural language processing, fuzzy logic, and support vector regression have been constructed. This study emphasizes the significance of qualitative information on investors' subjective consideration, the decision-making process, and causality on exchange rate volatility. To perceive the causality of expected and unexpected macroeconomic news on exchange rate fluctuations, news regarding the inflation rate, interest rate, unemployment rate, balance of trade, and credit ratings has been extracted from the web. Learning automata has been adopted to construct a unique lexicon for textual analysis. Subjective considerations of decision makers based on news have been evaluated by processing using the prospect theory and composing fuzzy antecedents for the fuzzy logic phase. The fuzzy logic method attained the correlation value between the macroeconomic news and the exchange rate. Finally, support vector regression predicted the exchange rate on a daily basis. The statistical test results indicated a strong correlation between recently published macroeconomic news on daily exchange rate fluctuations and their usability for predicting exchange rates in the short term, while emphasizing the significance of sustainable macroeconomic policies on exchange rate stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing Comparative Public Administration (CPA) article gives an overview of the history, subject matters, concepts, methods as well as of major research areas and findings It points at the dynamic development CPA has recently experienced as evidenced by the upsurge of thematically relevant publications (such as handbooks) and of pertinent (international) research networks and institutions. In a concluding assessment it is argued that, on the one hand, CPA conclusion it is t is argued that, on the one hand, CPA has attained an (in the words of the late Christopher Pollitt) ‘remarkable vitality’ while, on the other hand, important conceptual and methodological problems still need to be solved in CPA research.

AbstractIntroduction:Scientific quality and feasibility are part of ethics review by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). Scientific Review Committees (SRCs) were proposed to facilitate this assessment by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) SRC Consensus Group. This study assessed SRC feasibility and impact at CTSA-affiliated academic health centers (AHCs).Methods:SRC implementation at 10 AHCs was assessed pre/post-intervention using quantitative and qualitative methods. Pre-intervention, four AHCs had no SRC, and six had at least one SRC needing modifications to better align with Consensus Group recommendations.Results:Facilitators of successful SRC implementation included broad-based communication, an external motivator, senior-level support, and committed SRC reviewers. Barriers included limited resources and staffing, variable local mandates, limited SRC authority, lack of anticipated benefit, and operational challenges. Research protocol quality did not differ significantly between study periods, but respondents suggested positive effects. During intervention, median total review duration did not lengthen for the 40% of protocols approved within 3 weeks. For the 60% under review after 3 weeks, review was lengthened primarily due to longer IRB review for SRC-reviewed protocols. Site interviews recommended designing locally effective SRC processes, building buy-in by communication or by mandate, allowing time for planning and sharing best practices, and connecting SRC and IRB procedures.Conclusions:The CTSA SRC Consensus Group recommendations appear feasible. Although not conclusive in this relatively short initial implementation, sites perceived positive impact by SRCs on study quality. Optimal benefit will require local or federal mandate for implementation, adapting processes to local contexts, and employing SRC stipulations.

From the end of the 1970s, all teacher education programmes have been a part of academic higher education in Finland. Thus, TE has been implemented in universities and all Finnish comprehensive and upper-secondary school teachers have a master's degree. Research methods courses have been an essential part of teacher education courses for over 40 years. Our results revealed that students in all educational programmes seem to prefer empirical methods to theoretical methods as a way of acquiring educational knowledge. In line with previous studies, an aversion to quantitative methods was also found in the present study. However, there were some exceptions to this overall view. Most of the students in our study recognized that teachers need research skills in their practical work. The students acknowledged that these kinds of skills are especially important when acquainting themselves with new research results in their professional field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the breakup of the former Republic of Yugoslavia, the number of inhabitants in newly formed state of Serbia has been in constant decrease. On the other hand, the number of urban areas has been growing. One of the main goals of former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the development of all the areas, including the rural ones. In the '60s and the '70s, the land with special purpose was supposed to be of the utmost importance. Urban regions were to be better connected and enlarged. The main reason for it was the distribution of economic activities as well as the process of deagrarization which had already been in progress. In 1966, the first spatial plan of a special-purpose area, being the outset of an idea in a Socialist country, was in fact the proposition of the first Yugoslav conurbation. The long forgotten project was about to be reinforced in 1996, when thirty years later the country was in a transitional period, heading towards market capitalization. After the final breakup of Yuoslavia, there was a growing need for preservation of the urban areas and large trade centers, along with the necessity of better communication among municipalities. The ambitious project in question called "Morava city", has never been brought to life. The main purpose of this manuscript is to answer the question of the actual necessity of this potential conurbation by means of GIS methodology, qualitative and quantitative techniques, and demographic and sociological factors. Accordingly, by means of spatial analysis, the communist project is placed into post-communist environment. Finally, the manuscript focuses on the relationship between rural and urban areas, traffic connectivity, geographical position, and most importantly on the sustainability and profitability of the first Serbian conurbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scientific quality and feasibility are part of ethics review by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). Scientific Review Committees (SRCs) were proposed to facilitate this assessment by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) SRC Consensus Group. This study assessed SRC feasibility and impact at CTSA-affiliated academic health centers (AHCs). Methods: SRC implementation at 10 AHCs was assessed pre/post-intervention using quantitative and qualitative methods. Pre-intervention, four AHCs had no SRC, and six had at least one SRC needing modifications to better align with Consensus Group recommendations. Results: Facilitators of successful SRC implementation included broad-based communication, an external motivator, senior-level support, and committed SRC reviewers. Barriers included limited resources and staffing, variable local mandates, limited SRC authority, lack of anticipated benefit, and operational challenges. Research protocol quality did not differ significantly between study periods, but respondents suggested positive effects. During intervention, median total review duration did not lengthen for the 40% of protocols approved within 3 weeks. For the 60% under review after 3 weeks, review was lengthened primarily due to longer IRB review for SRC-reviewed protocols. Site interviews recommended designing locally effective SRC processes, building buy-in by communication or by mandate, allowing time for planning and sharing best practices, and connecting SRC and IRB procedures. Conclusions: The CTSA SRC Consensus Group recommendations appear feasible. Although not conclusive in this relatively short initial implementation, sites perceived positive impact by SRCs on study quality. Optimal benefit will require local or federal mandate for implementation, adapting processes to local contexts, and employing SRC stipulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Omran for Social Sciences is the property of Arab Center for Research & Policy Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding our learning needs is fundamental for safe, effective and knowledge-based medical practice and facilitates life-long learning. A mixed methods study investigated fourth-year medical students' self-perceived understanding of their learning needs using 1] a visual scale, before and after a four-week module in Ageing and Health (A&H) and 2] through focus group discussions. During 2013–14 academic year, all students (252) were invited to use a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) tool to self-assess their learning needs that were linked to Ageing and Health curriculum learning outcomes. Assenting students (197 at pre-self-assessment, 201 at post-assessment) returned anonymous Visual Analogue Scales, self-assessing history-taking skills, examination skills, knowledge of medication use, co-morbidity, nutritional and swallowing assessment responses, before and after the A&H module. Three student focus groups explored whether completion of the VAS self-assessment had prompted improved self-awareness of their learning needs. The VAS responses increased for each curriculum domain with significant differences between the pre-and post responses – for the student-year-group. Nutritional and swallowing knowledge showed the greatest improvement from a self-assessed low baseline at entry. Focus-group students generally viewed the VAS tool positively, and as an aid for prompting consideration of current and future clinical practice. Some students recognised that 'a need to be ready-for-work' focused engaged learning; others demonstrated self-regulated learning through self-motivation and an action plan. The Visual Analogue Scale quantitative responses showed increased student-self-perceived learning for each curriculum domain at fourth-year completion of the A&H module, suggesting that prompting self-assessment had increased students' knowledge and skills. Focus group students saw the VAS tool as useful for prompting awareness of their current and future learning needs. Additional educational strategies should be explored to enable all students to self-reflect and engage effectively on their learning needs, to gain the skills for the maintenance of professional medical competence. Abbreviations: A&H: Ageing and Health Module; e-portfolio: an electronic version of an evidence portfolio, which allows medical students and graduates to reflect and document learning and competencies; F1: year1 of post-graduate medical clinical training; GMC: General Medical Council-the regulation organisation for maintaining standards for doctors in UK; Logbook: usually a written document which can be used to record procedures and attendance at clinics or case-based discussions and can be used to set learning outcomes and to structure teaching in clinical settings for medical students and doctors; PDP: personal development plan is used to plan future learning and skills needs for work and education with an plan for action/s outcome; SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences; VAS: Visual Analogue Scale is a visual method of describing an experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This descriptive study explored and analyzed the quality living conditions and the boarding preferences of UM college students who were renting in temporary shelters in Davao City, Philippines at the time of the investigation. Through a random sampling method, 300 students from ten colleges participated in the survey using validated questionnaires. Informal interviews were also conducted to 20 randomly selected boarding house operators for the triangulation of results. This mixed methods research obtained the initial interrelated ideas in the survey and informal interviews by means of open coding and exploratory analysis. Aside from accessible means of transportation, the student-participants favored affordable rental fees, organized house rules, provision of basic amenities and proper waste management. And on top of all these basic services, they desired a friendly atmosphere while they live, study and / or work in the land of promise, the metropolitan Davao. In general, UM college boarders prefer practicality, safety and security in a supportive environment. It was discovered likewise that some managers were non-compliant of specific boarding house ordinances such as the provision of safe and secure boarding house boarding house/dormitories. In compliance with the basic ordinances on boarding hose operations, it is hereby recommended that owners be closely monitored and evaluated based on their planning and implementation of the rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Determining risky behaviours of adolescents provides valuable information for designing appropriate intervention programmes for advancing adolescent’s health. However, these behaviours are not fully addressed by researchers in a comprehensive approach. We report the protocol of a mixed methods study designed to investigate the health risk behaviours of Moroccan adolescents with the goal of identifying suitable strategies to address their health concerns. Methods We used a sequential two-phase explanatory mixed method study design. The approach begins with the collection of quantitative data, followed by the collection of qualitative data to explain and enrich the quantitative findings. In the first phase, the global school-based student health survey (GSHS) was administered to 800 students who were between 14 and 19 years of age. The second phase engaged adolescents, parents and teachers in focus groups and assessed education documents to explore the level of coverage of health education in the programme learnt in the middle school. To obtain opinions about strategies to reduce Moroccan adolescents’ health risk behaviours, a nominal group technique will be used. Discussion The findings of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study provide insights into the risk behaviours that need to be considered if intervention programmes and preventive strategies are to be designed to promote adolescent’s health in the Moroccan school.

Contemporary Natural Philosophy is understood here as a project of the pursuit of the integrated description of reality distinguished by the precisely formulated criteria of objectivity, and by the assumption that the statements of this description can be assessed only as true or false according to clearly specified verification procedures established with the exclusive goal of the discrimination between these two logical values, but not with respect to any other norms or values established by the preferences of human collectives or by the individual choices. This distinction assumes only logical consistency, but not completeness. Completeness (i.e., the feasibility to assign true or false value to all possible statements) is desirable, but may be impossible. This paper is not intended as a comprehensive program for the development of the Contemporary Natural Philosophy but rather as a preparation for such program advocating some necessary revisions and extensions of the methodology currently considered as the scientific method. This is the actual focus of the paper and the reason for the reference to Baconian idola mentis. Francis Bacon wrote in Novum Organum about the fallacies obstructing progress of science. The present paper is an attempt to remove obstacles for the Contemporary Natural Philosophy project to which we have assigned the names of the Idols of the Number, the Idols of the Common Sense, and the Idols of the Elephant.

The responsibility to preserve our natural and cultural heritage is not just a national issue but also, through international agreements, an international commitment. In World Heritage Education (WHE) students are expected to know, to cherish and to act in favour of World Heritage sites and communities. The aim of this quantitative and qualitative study is to investigate teachers’ views of WHE and the Kvarken Archipelago as a learning environment. A total of 105 teachers within Finnish primary and secondary education answered a questionnaire. The results indicate that teachers struggle to meet Unesco´s aims of WHE. The respondents primarily emphasize students´ knowledge of WH sites. A few respondents highlight the skills and experiences needed to reinforce young students´commitment to preserve WH sites, and to help close the gap between school and society. A more distinct connection to PBL and ESD is discussed as one of the pedagogical implications for the development of WHE.

In the process of adapting of libraries to the dynamically changing environment, extremely relevant among the Bulgarian Library College, becomes the question of their place on the public agenda. The situation in the library sphere in the country requires a clear answer what is the attitude of the authorities, the media and the public towards the problems of libraries - their financing, the construction of new library buildings, creating conditions for encouraging their activity. These questions are subject to intense discussion in the specialized library press and in various scientific conferences. The questions about the public vision of libraries and their future, of libraries as "third place" on the agenda of the individual and others become more recent. The main problem, related with the clarification of the attitudes of different audiences (users and non-users) as well as the place of libraries on the public agenda, is the need for relevant information about the attitudes of different public and professional circles to libraries. This raises highly the question of the need to conduct various quantitative and qualitative researches. They are the only means of gathering information about the priorities of different public environments to respond what is the attitude towards the libraries and their activities, and where libraries are in the priorities of society. The observations over the Bulgarian practice show the existence of certain difficulties in analyzing the regard of the public, related to the nature of the information about the public attitudes which is available in the libraries. This indicates conducting of systematic surveys of individual segments of the audiences with purpose to answer what the public libraries can provide to the society to satisfy their different needs. Some preliminary observations of the public moods show, that especially in the small settlements, libraries have a significant potential to become an important place on the agenda of the individual by satisfying his needs for information and social contacts. The conducted separate quantitative and qualitative researches confirm the possibility of transforming the libraries into the small settlements into public- informational centers. The practice of using quantitative and qualitative method to examine the library audiences gives a possibility to extend the range of other activities that libraries conduct: cultural programs, self-education programs, lifelong learning, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Where does the International Political Science Review (IPSR) stand in relation to the hierarchies of knowledge in the discipline? IPSR is the journal of the International Political Science Association and a well-established journal in the discipline of Political Science. The journal has been published since 1980 and in 2016 ranked 54 out of 163 journals in the field. Mapping IPSR’s profile can help us understand the changing thematic, epistemological and methodological preferences within the world of political science. This report maps the distribution of methodological techniques across 152 issues of IPSR, by analysing the abstracts of every article published between 1980 and 2015. In doing so, it aims to provide a clearer picture of the methodological approaches used by political scientists and endorsed by the political science community as acceptable scientific modes of knowledge making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has found evidence of an almost universal public desire for democracy, even in autocratic regimes. However, a single word may evoke different associations for different people. As such, the term democracy is unlikely to trigger the same or equivalent associations between different people. Inspired by the Anchoring Vignettes Approach, I qualify people’s stated desire for democracy with their representative, direct, social, or authoritarian perception of democracy. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process, I obtain idealized priorities of institutional configurations to determine the membership a specific perception has with regard to a procedural-liberal, participatory-liberal, or social-liberal normative benchmark. I perform a mixed-model analysis on World Values Survey Wave 5 data to test the empirical consequences of my conceptual calibration concerning explanatory factors for people’s democratic desires. Popular support for representative democracy has been consistently overstated, particularly in nondemocratic countries. The design of political institutions is the most important factor in predicting a person’s actual desire for democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper theme is the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in sociological research, and in social sciences, in general, from the perspective of the multi-method approach – also designated as methodological triangulation. The argument presented here is that a multi-method approach is one of the most complete forms of empirical research, once it combines the strength of large samples, and their ability to generalize, with the strength of case studies, and its ability to identify causal mechanisms. However, it presents many challenges in its implementation, especially when its goal is corroboration. From a review of the reference literature, I will indicate how these challenges can be overcome. I begin by specifying the characteristics of quantitative and qualitative methods, and of their combination (multi-method approach), pointing to the potentials and limitations in this combination, and I conclude describing two studies as examples: a classic research for excellence (Distinction: A social critique of the judgment of taste), in which Bourdieu (1977b) used a combination of methods to verify the determinants of cultural practices, and a more recent study (Corruption and inequality at the crossroad – a Multimethod Study of Bribery and Discrimination in Latin America), in which Fried et al. (2010) discuss the relationship between corruption and social inequality in Latin America, from an experiment followed by qualitative interviews as a way to better understand and explain the results of the experimental phase.

Copyright of Educacao e Pesquisa is the property of Faculdade de Educacao da Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The bibliography provides an overview of the scientific and professional papers dealing with the research of the library services and departments from the users' perspective in the period from 1991 to the end of 2016 in all types of libraries in the Republic of Croatia, with the exception of school libraries. The research included articles, summaries, reviews, and presentations on posters, mostly by the domestic authors, that have been published in Croatian library journals, proceedings, graduate, master and doctoral theses, and also the available online researches. All papers were later classified in several thematic categories. In conclusion, the paper provides an analysis of the participation of certain types of libraries in the aforementioned researches, the most frequent research topics as well as the most frequently used methods for collecting data within the given time period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students’ and student teachers’ decreasing interest in and knowledge of science are, according to many national and international assessments, alarming trends in the Nordic countries. This quantitative and qualitative study of student teachers’ knowledge of core concepts and processes in ecology confirms the low level of student teachers’ understanding of these issues, although a majority consider these issues to be basic knowledge for their teacher competencies. Many of the student teachers did not know what biosphere or succession is. They also had difficulties in explaining what a seed contains and what its role is in the plant’s lifecycle. Several student teachers also had difficulties to explain why photosynthesis is important and how it works. The increasing ecological and environmental illiteracy is discussed as one of the implications for teacher education.

For selected regions of five EU Member States (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia), this paper examines the determinants of the commercialisation of (semi)subsistence farms. While subsistence farming has become an important feature of the EU, there is a lack of evidence on its spatial distribution, importance and reasons for persistence. The analysis utilises cross-regional survey data and qualitative interviews. Results suggest the absence of a subsistence poverty trap driven by either farmer perceptions or transactions costs although capital endowment appears to play a significant part. On the other hand the degree of market engagement depends on access costs, which vary with location, households’ productive assets, specialisation, and risk propensity. Implications for land use policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many foresight researchers believe that quantitative simulations have a very restricted contribution in futures studies due to their simplicity and lack of creativity. While qualitative methods, taking advantage of the human cognitive system, have a great potential in addressing a wide range of problems in futures studies, this potential is mostly due to the human visual logic that can handle the task of imagining future scenarios much better than mathematical logic. On the other hand, computational methods benefit from the advantages of silicon-based systems namely speed, large memory, rapid networking, and communication. Hence, it would be extremely beneficial to come up with a solution that combines the positive sides of both qualitative and computational approaches. Cognitive artificial agents are computational units that make use of the human cognitive system. Their interaction with foresight and futures researchers can result in promising solutions for the problems addressed in futures studies. In addition, these agents can serve as a great source of inspiration for taking the first step towards vision based computers that can simulate humans’ imaginations of the future. This paper reviews some of the previous attempts in this field and finally sheds light on the main issues where methods in futures studies can play a key role in the future of Human Computer Interaction systems. Our suggested architecture for a future studies interactions-based system along with its justifications and specifications is provided in the form of a request for proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psychotherapie Forum is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A growing body of evidence confirms that mobile digital devices have key potentials as assistive/educational tools for people with autism spectrum disorders. The aim of this paper is to outline key aspects of development and evaluation methodologies that build on, and provide systematic evidence on effects of using such apps. We rely on the results of two R+D projects, both using quantitative and qualitative methods to support development and to evaluate developed apps (n=54 and n=22). Analyzing methodological conclusions from these studies we outline some guidelines for an 'ideal' R+D methodology but we also point to important trade-offs between the need for best systematic evidence and the limitations on development time and costs. We see these trade-offs as a key issue to be resolved in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper serves as an introduction to the 25th anniversary issue of Psychotherapy Research. It includes a consideration of the original aims of the journal in light of the most cited articles, various developments in research orientation and methodology, and most recent publications. It demonstrates both diversity and consistency in content over time, as well as the international reach of the journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]